Veteran actor, comedian, screenwriter, director of yesteryears Hindi films Kader Khan passes away at 81

Mumbai: Veteran Hindi film actor Kader Khan, famous for his comic roles in 1980s, 1990s expecially, has passed away at the age of 81. A family member of the actor confirmed to news agency IANS that the actor-director breathed his last at a hospital in Toronto, Canada on Tuesday.

Kader Khan born 22 October 1937 was an Afghan-born Indian-Canadian film actor, screenwriter, comedian, and director. As an actor, he appeared in over 300 films after his debut film in the 1973 film Daag , starring Rajesh Khanna, in which he acted as a prosecuting attorney. He was also a prolific screenwriter for Bollywood films in the 1970s and 1980s. Khan graduated from Ismail Yusuf College affiliated to Bombay University. Before entering the film industry in the early 1970s, he taught at M. H. Saboo Siddik College of Engineering, Mumbai as a professor of Civil Engineering.

Khan was born in Kabul, Afghanistan. His father was Abdul Rahman Khan from Kandahar while his mother was Iqbal Begum from Pishin, British India (now in Balochistan, Pakistan). Khan had three brothers Shams ur Rehman, Fazal Rehman and Habib ur Rehman. He is an ethnic Pashtun of the Kakar tribe.

Khan had been suffering from supranuclear palsy, a degenerative. He was hospitalized on 28 December 2018 complaining of “breathlessness” in Canada, where he stayed with his son and daughter in law while seeking treatment. On 1 January 2019 , Khan’s son, Sarfaraz Khan, confirmed that Kader Khan has passed away.

While performing in a play in the Annual Day function of the college, he was noted by Actor Dilip Kumar who signed him up for his next film.

He used to write plays for theatres and was subsequently offered to write the script of Jawani Diwani. This is how his film career started.

Khan has acted in over 300 films in Hindi and Urdu and has written dialogues for over 250 Indian films, from the 1970s up to the turn of the 21st century. At the insistence of Rajesh Khanna, Manmohan Desai paid him a handsome amount of one lakh twenty-one thousand for writing dialogues for the film Roti (1974).

He is most popularly recognized for working with actors Rajesh Khanna, Jeetendra, Feroz Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor,Govinda and in films directed by Tatineni Rama Rao, K. Raghavendra Rao, K. Bapaiah, Narayana Rao Dasari, David Dhawan. He has worked side-by-side with other comedians like Asrani, Shakti Kapoor and Johnny Lever. He has co-starred with Amrish Puri, Prem Chopra and Anupam Kher in many films. He has played a large variety of parts in films like a supporting role of a father, uncle, brother, main villain or the side villain, guest actor and comedian.

He made his debut with Daag, starring Rajesh Khanna in the main lead role,wherein Khan played the supporting role as an advocate. He subsequently starred as supporting artiste with small roles in Dil Diwana, Goonj, Umar Qaid, Mukti, Chor Sipahee, Muqaddar Ka Sikander and Mr.Natwarlal. But he got more visibility with the roles in films with Rajesh Khanna in lead like Mahachor, Chailla Babu, Fiffty Fiffty, Maqsad, Naya Kadam and Nasihat. The period form 1982 to 2005 is considered to be peak period of his career as he established his versatility in acting.

He appeared as villain in films like Parvarish, Dhan Dhaulat, Lootmaar, Qurbani, Bulundi, Meri Awaaz Suno, Sanam Teri Kasam, Naseeb and Naukar Biwi Ka between 1976 to 1982. However it was only from 1982, that he gained popularity as villain with success of films with the lead hero being either Jeetendra or Rajesh Khanna and produced by Southern Indian production houses with the director being either Narayana Rao Dasari or Kovelamudi Bapayya or K. Raghavendra Rao or Rama Rao Tatineni – like Farz Aur Kanoon, Jeeo Aur Jeene Do , Samraat, Justice Chaudhury, Mawaali, Maqsad, Naya Kadam, Qaidi, Ramkali, Hoshiyar and Swarg Se Sunder.

He also started getting lengthy roles as supporting actor after 1984 with films like Masterji, Dharm Adhikari, Nasihat, Dosti Dushmani, Ghar Sansaar, Loha, Insaniyat Ke Dushman, Insaaf Ki Pukar, Khudgarz,Sherni, Khoon Bhari Maang,Sone Pe Suhaaga, Vardi. From 1988, there were films written with him in main lead like Jaisi Karni Waisi Bharni, Biwi Ho Toh Aisi, Ghar Ho Toh Aisa, Hum Hai Kamaal Ke, Baap Numbari Beta Dus Numbari.

His first attempt at comedy was with Himmatwala and Aaj Ka Daur.He started doing main comedy roles from 1989 onwards, with films like Sikka, Kishen Kanhaiya, Hum, Ghar Parivaar, Bol Radha Bol and continued through the ninities with comedy roles in Aankhen, Taqdeerwala, Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Dulhe Raja, Coolie No.1, Saajan Chale Sasural, Sooryavamsham, Judaai, Aunty No.1 and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Raja Babu, Khudaar, Chote Sarkar, Judaai, Aunty No. 1, Gharwali Baharwali, Hero Hindustani, Sirf Tum, Anari No.1. Even in early 2000s he attempted versatile roles with films like Akhiyon Se Goli Maare, Chalo Ishq Ladaaye, Suno Sasurjee, Yeh Hai Jalwa and Mujhse Shaadi Karogi.

He starred in his own comedy television series titled Hasna Mat, which aired on Star Plus in 2001.He made a comeback on Indian television with a comedy series Hi! Padosi… Kaun Hai Doshi? on Sahara One.

He later appeared in Tevar (2015), Lucky: No Time for Love (2006) and Family: Ties of Blood (2006).

It was Rajesh Khanna who gave him the break as dilaogue writer in his film Roti and thereafter he wrote dialogues for films with Rajesh Khanna in the lead like Mahachor, Chailla Babu, Dharam Kanta, Fiffty Fiffty, Naya Kadam, Masterji and Nasihat. Other successful films for which he has written or assisted in dialogues include films starring Jeetendra like Himmatwala,Jaani Dost, Sarfarosh, Justice Chaudhury, Farz Aur Kanoon, Jeo Aur Jeene Do, Tohfa, Qaidi, Haisiyat.

As a screenwriter, Kader Khan has worked with Manmohan Desai and Prakash Mehra for their films starring Amitabh Bachchan. Besides Amitabh, he was the only one to work in the rival camps of Mehra and Desai. His films with Desai include Dharam Veer, Ganga Jamuna Saraswati, Coolie, Desh Premee, Suhaag,Parvarish and Amar Akbar Anthony and films with Prakash Mehra include Jwalamukhi, Sharaabi, Lawaaris, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar.

Other Amitabh Bachchan films for which he has written dialogues are Mr. Natwarlal, Khoon Pasina, Do Aur Do Paanch, Satte Pe Satta, Inquilab, Giraftaar, Hum and Agneepath. Khan has also written screenplays for films starring Amitabh like Agneepath and Naseeb.

He was preferred dialogue writer for films produced by Southern Indian production houses between 1982 to 1995 and the Hindi films directed by K. Raghavendra Rao, Narayana Dasari Rao, K. Bapaiah and D. Rama Naidu. He also wrote dialogues in other successful films in late 80s to late 90s like Meri Awaaz Suno, Angaar, Jail Yatra, Satte Pe Satta, Katilon Ke Kaatil, Waqt Ki Awaz, Coolie No. 1, Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Kanoon Apna Apna, Karma, Sultanat, Baap Numbri Beta Dus Numbri, Humshakal,Saajan Chale Sasuraal, Hero Hindustani, Aunty No.1 and Rajaji.He also wrote dialogues for films of Rakesh Roshan like Khoon Bhari Maang, Kala Bazaar, Khudgarz.